India, June 9 -- The Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya, near Patna, holds great significance for followers of Buddhism, as it is believed that Lord Gautama Buddha attained Nirvana here. This temple has been governed by the Bodh Gaya Temple Act of 1949, and the BTMC (Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee) oversees its management. According to this, the temple's governing board has an equal number of Buddhists and Hindus. Since this February, many monks have been protesting against the 1949 Act and want only Buddhists to be part of the board that controls temple affairs.

The protests have a long history, as the mixed nature of the controlling body has led to a gradual Brahminisation of this temple. One Akash Lama sitting on the protest aptly pu...